The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-07
IN A JAPANESE CAGE.
THE HORRORS OF LIFE IN A TOXIC
PRISON.
The Experience Of Political Prisoner
as Described by Himself Men Sent
to Prison Without Trial and Crowded
Into Small Pans

/ as DeSCTlDeu ny himself OeIlC
to Prison Without Trial and Crowded
Into Small Pens.
From the Washington Star.
Tatui Baba, japanese now visiting this
! country writes the following account of his
recent experience in Toxic prison:
! 1.-The japanese government has, during
the last ten years, been introducing many
superficial elements of European civiliza-
! ton. such as dress, dancing, etc, but more
! fundamental reforms necessary to the well
fare of the 81 900, 900 of people are entirely
neglected One of the matters requiring re
form is the japanese prison system. | was
put in the japanese prison at the end of De
cember, 1885, and kept there under the sus-
picion of a political offense for six months
without any public trial. When a public
| trial came the public prosecutor could pro
duce nothing worthy of notice, and l was
set free Ny arrest came about in the fol
lowing way:
AT the time | intended to come to this
country, and went TO Yokohama, where the
Pacific mail steamships start for San Fran
| cisco, to make inquiry about the voyage. |
made several purchases as part of the
preparations for my journey. | was with
passed near shop kept by an Englishman
for the sale of dynamite. We concluded to
go i'll and see dynamite, simply 10 satisfy our
curiosity We went in and stated that we
wanted to see the dynamite. We were told
that the man had no dynamite in the shop,
as it was kept in a warehouse, and that CON
sequently he could not show it to us SO
we left the shop. But the government spies
lurking about there gave information to the
japanese government to the effect that |
had made contract for the purchase of
dynamite The Japanese government,
always suspicious of those who criticise
their policy, Immediately arrested me and
my friend, without any further investiga-
ton.
cat first was brought before Keibu, OF
three constableS, and asked several useless
questions, such as: Who are your
friends! Whom do you know! etc. |
was kept in temporary prison for ten days
and then sent to the main prison in Kali
bashi.
THE PRISON.
"This prison is situated in central place
of the capitol, Toxic, and is under the direct
control of the Minister of the Interior. The
building is two stories high and made in the
shape of cross. In each story there are
forty cages, making eighty cages in all,
Each cage is nine feet square. The Japa-
nese government managed to keep many
prisoners in this prison for two or three
years without any public trial. Each cage
generally contains ten or eleven prisoners,
who eat and sleep in this small box. Or,
perhaps it is better to say the prisoners try
to sleep heaped up one over the other
There are always from 800 to 800 prisoners
kept in this way. Many become sick and
die. | have seen two Of the prisoners die
within six months. But l am surprised
that, considering the bad sanitary system,
want of exercise, bad food and drink, etc,
SO few die. | am told more prisoners die
after they come out of the prison, where
they are sustained by sort of excitement.
THE CAGES.
1.-THE outside of each cage is protected by
a strong wooden frame. The frame itself
becomes door to let the prisoners in or out.
The side facing the yards has a large win
dow, protected with an iron frame, of which
the door must not be closed without the per
mission of the officials, even in the seYerest
winter night. Thus, it is a common oc-
culrence that prisoners are found covered
with snow. AT the corner of this cage, a
small tub, containing water for the purpose
of drinking and washing is placed beside
two wooden vessels for sewage purposes.
The water is impure as well as filthy The
food furnished to the prisoners consists of
| small quantity of a mixture of rice and oats,
about quarter of pound, served some
| times with three pieces of pickle or with
boiled vegetables. Although they give
meal three times day the quantity is so
small that the prisoners become as thin as
| skeletons. There is an arrangement made
| which is supposed to be for the ben
eft OF the prisoners. The friends
of the prisoners are permitted
| to send a quarter of pound of meat once a
| day, but several absurd formalites must be
| gone through with before prisoner can get
his meat. Generally the meat is sent away
| if one makes a very slight error, such as
| falling to mention the particular prisoners
name, or his place of residence, or the date
of his arrest. The most of the prisoners
have no means of communicating with their
| friends. When they are arrested the gov
| eminent spy or police tell them that they
need not bring any money with them, as
they viii be sent back to their homes in a
| few minutes. When they go to the prison
they are kept there six months at least.
| During this time, if they have any money
TO pay postage, they are permitted to send
their letters; but if they have no money, no
| letter can be sent by public expense They
are never permitted to see their friends until
the judge of a secret examination makes up
| his mind to send a prisoner to the court of
| public trial.
| THE SECRET EXAMINATION
lasts one year, and sometimes three wears
| Even when the judge of a secret eXamina-
| ton decides to send the case to a public trial
| the prisoner cannot write TO his friends UNI
less he has money. So, in many cases, he
cannot obtain the help of lawyer Thus,
it is a farce to say that the Japanese govern
ment gives a fair chance 70 prisoners TO de
fend themselves before the court of Justice.
The prisoners are deprived of means of OBJ
tanning legal advice. When they are per
mitted TO see their lawyers they have to see
| them in the presence of two officials, sitting
between them. The prisoner is not per
United to speak to his lawyer in coniiden-
tial manner. As TO the clothing of the
prisoners, the regulations are most cruel.
| Even in severe winter the prisoners are
not permitted to wear drawers and
socks, and are compelled to walk in
naked feet with thin straw sandals. Prison
clothing is lent to those who came to the
prison during summer and who have nc
means to communicate with their friends 20
have them send them clothing for winter.
But ii Is a thin gown, made of cotton, and
each prisoner is given only one. Three OF
these gowns are not enough to protect the
wearer from cold. There being no heating
arrangements, the prison is simply freezing
The poor prisoners are in a most miserable
condition during thu winter. IL Is but nat.
ural that prisoners who have supply OF
clothing should take pity on their less for.
tunate fellows and give or lend their cloth
ing. But if they do they are severely pun